The Truth About Six-Pack Abs

What It Really Takes To Get Rid Of Your Gut

If you're 20 pounds away from six-pack abs, the first 10 won't be that hard to lose. The next five will suck.

I am amazed that naturally skinny people even exist. Think about it. For most of human history, we’ve lived on the edge of starvation. The only plentiful thing was famine, especially in the winter. Our Stone Age ancestors spent all summer hunting and gathering everything they could shovel into their root and berry holes in an attempt to add enough body fat to survive the coming lean times.

Natural selection favored those who could easily gain and store fat, and wouldn’t lose it quickly. People without these genetic tendencies got Darwined long ago. If you’re alive today, it’s because your long lost ancestors were able to store fat for the times when there was nothing to eat and the body had to eat itself to survive.

Hopefully that gives you some context about living in an era in which we complain if the drive-through window is closed. We’re inundated with rapid fat-loss scams. How many times have you seen an ad or article proclaim “Lose (insert ridiculously high number) pounds of fat in only (insert stupidly short number) of days.” And those “amazing” before and after photos? Yeah, check this video out.

The more fat you lose, the slower your metabolism gets

I’m not saying impressive physical transformations aren’t possible — they are. I know because I’ve done it. But they are neither quick nor easy. The fact is, if you’re carrying around extra poundage, it’s because you’re genetically programmed to. When you try to lose it, your body will fight you. Your body still thinks it’s the Stone Age. Your body doesn’t know there is a grocery store just down the road. The more fat you lose, the slower your metabolism gets. What’s more, if you’re upping activity levels to achieve fat loss goals, know that this makes your body more efficient. Yes, you burn lots of calories while active, but while at rest it begins to burn fewer calories. There is also the fact as your body becomes lighter you simply have less to carry around with you on everyday tasks, which will also burn fewer calories.

For me, in that “before” picture, I weighed 200. I lost about 50 pounds of fat and gained around 20 pounds of muscle, so my current weight is 170. Even for mundane things like climbing stairs or walking or doing housework, it’s like I un-shouldered a 30-pound pack of lard. It makes moving around a lot easier, and because it’s easier, it burns fewer calories. And that extra 20 pounds of muscles isn’t boosting my metabolism much. That’s a myth.

Fat Loss Slows Down When You're About To See Abs

Add to this the fact that when fat stores get low, your body begins to hate you. This study shows that the less body fat you have, the less it will burn. When you begin to get lean enough that you can almost see your abs, fat loss slows to a crawl. That period of time between a "hint of abdominal definition” and “hey, I can see my abs” is maddeningly long. If you’re 20 pounds away from six-pack abs, the first 10 won’t be that hard to lose. The next five will suck. The final five will make you want to climb a high tower with a sniper rifle.

Let’s get one thing straight: For the vast majority of people, the journey to six-pack abs is long and tortuous. Hell, as you can see from the photo on my website, I got to the “four-pack” stage and decided that was good enough. Mind you, I’m in my 40s; most guys in my age group are working toward their first heart attack.

The Truth About Six-Pack Abs

There is no quick, and there is no easy. This is a hard slog of lots of intense exercise and dietary deprivation. Junk food and booze need to be dramatically cut, and you may develop something akin to an obsessive-compulsive disorder about caloric balance. And then, finally, when you achieve your desired abdominal definition, you must sustain the lifestyle that got you there in order to sustain the abs.

So why would you want to do this? Sometimes I ask myself that question. I don’t think you’ll get laid more. Hell, it actually removes some padding down there and may result in complaints. Unless you live near a beach, it’s not like there are lots of opportunities to show them off. And you want to know something? Showing them off gets old fast. At first you may notice admiring glances here and there, but then you stop noticing them. My wife never says anything about my abs anymore. They’re just kind of there.

So why do I strive to sustain mine? One reason: I like the way they look. Me. I get a kick out of seeing them in the mirror. Yeah, I know that’s stupid and shallow, but it’s what pushes me. If you decide that you’re willing to do what it takes to attain and sustain abdominal definition, then you need to find your why. And, most important, you must be patient. They will come eventually.